Tag: marine

Five U.S. Marines were missing after two Marine Corps aircraft collided in mid-air and crashed into the sea off the coast of Japan on Thursday, in what U.S. officials said may have been a refueling exercise gone wrong. A series of emergency landings and parts falling from U.S. military aircraft have highlighted safety concerns. The Marine Corps said in a statement the incident occurred around 2 a.m. local time in Japan (1700 GMT Wednesday) about 200 miles off the Japanese coast. The two aircraft

Five U.S. Marines were missing after two Marine Corps aircraft collided in mid-air and crashed into the sea off the coast of Japan on Thursday, in what U.S. officials said may have been a refueling exercise gone wrong.

Japan’s defense ministry said its maritime forces had so far found two of the seven Marines who were aboard the aircraft — an F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet and KC-130 Hercules — at the time of the incident.

One was in a stable condition at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, while the second had been found about 10 hours after the collision and brought aboard a Japanese military vessel, the ministry said. No other details about the second Marine were known, a ministry spokesman said.

Search and rescue efforts for the remaining five continued.

The incident adds to a growing list of U.S. military aviation accidents around the world in recent years, prompting hearings in Congress to address the rise.

The Military Times reported earlier this year that aviation accidents jumped nearly 40 percent from fiscal years 2013 to 2017. At least 133 service members were killed in those incidents, it said.

U.S. military accidents are a sensitive topic in Japan, particularly for residents of the southern prefecture of Okinawa, which is home to the bulk of the U.S. presence in the country. A series of emergency landings and parts falling from U.S. military aircraft have highlighted safety concerns.

“The incident is regrettable, but our focus at the moment is on search and rescue,” Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya told a news conference. “Japan will respond appropriately once the details of the incident are uncovered.”

The Marine Corps said in a statement the incident occurred around 2 a.m. local time in Japan (1700 GMT Wednesday) about 200 miles off the Japanese coast.

The two aircraft had launched from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni and were conducting regular training when there was a “mishap,” the Marine Corps said.

The Marine Corps did not elaborate on the nature of the incident. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it occurred during a refueling exercise.

Officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity were unsure precisely how the mishap occurred but none suspected foul play. An investigation has begun.

Scottish engineering firm Orbital Marine Power has signed an agreement to demonstrate its floating tidal technology at the Morlais Tidal Energy Project at Anglesey, an island off the coast of Wales. The agreement with not-for-profit developers Menter Mon will result in the deployment of a “commercial-scale tidal array” of Orbital Marine Power’s 2 megawatt (MW) O2 tidal turbine. Orbital said it believed its turbine would be the “most powerful tidal generating turbine in the world,” with each unit

Scottish engineering firm Orbital Marine Power has signed an agreement to demonstrate its floating tidal technology at the Morlais Tidal Energy Project at Anglesey, an island off the coast of Wales.

The agreement with not-for-profit developers Menter Mon will result in the deployment of a “commercial-scale tidal array” of Orbital Marine Power’s 2 megawatt (MW) O2 tidal turbine.

Orbital said it believed its turbine would be the “most powerful tidal generating turbine in the world,” with each unit able to produce electricity equivalent to the needs of 1,500 typical homes in the U.K.

The Morlais initiative benefits from part funding from the European Regional Development Fund via the Welsh government. The project has been able to secure a grid connection offer and a consent application is slated to be submitted in mid-2019.

“The Morlais project gives us line of sight to a commercial and scalable tidal energy array in U.K. waters,” Andrew Scott, the CEO of Orbital Marine Power, said in a statement Monday.

“The concentration of tidal energy off the coast here, supported by great infrastructure in North Wales, makes this an ideal location to build out a new marine industry that can create new demand for skills and services both locally and further afield.”

Designs for the O2 turbine were unveiled towards the end of November. It will use a 73-meter-long “floating superstructure” to support two 1 MW turbines on each side and will have rotor diameters of 20 meters.

Formerly called Scotrenewables Tidal Power Ltd., Orbital Marine Power launched its SR2000 turbine in 2016. During its initial 12-month test program, the SR2000 generated more than 3 gigawatt hours of electricity.

The European Commission, the legislative arm of the EU, has described “ocean energy” as being both abundant and renewable. It’s estimated that ocean energy could potentially contribute around 10 percent of the European Union’s power demand by 2050, according to the Commission.

Beijing has issued a notice to Chinese fishing boats operating overseas, warning them to avoid illegal activities during the G-20 summit in Argentina this weekend. The country’s Agricultural Ministry released a statement this week asking Chinese offshore fishing enterprises to stay at least three nautical miles away from other countries’ marine exclusive economic zones. This distance will ensure that violations such as cross-border fishing don’t occur, it said. Offshore fishing companies should

Beijing has issued a notice to Chinese fishing boats operating overseas, warning them to avoid illegal activities during the G-20 summit in Argentina this weekend.

The country’s Agricultural Ministry released a statement this week asking Chinese offshore fishing enterprises to stay at least three nautical miles away from other countries’ marine exclusive economic zones. This distance will ensure that violations such as cross-border fishing don’t occur, it said.

These measures are designed to protect China’s image as a responsible great power and prevent any violations of foreign laws during the G-20, the ministry said.

Vessels entering the exclusive zone of another country must notify that nation and follow the principles of harmless navigation, according to the statement. Offshore fishing companies should also monitor the movement of their boats 24 hours a day and verify that each one operates in strict accordance with the law, the notice continued.

China’s maritime image has been called into question in recent years. The world’s second largest economy has engaged in aggressive behavior in international waterways such as the South China Sea while several Chinese ships have been implicated in illegal fishing abroad.

Last year, a Chinese ship in the Galapagos National Park — a marine sanctuary where industrial fishing is banned — was found with more than 6,000 sharks in what was deemed a huge blow to international marine conservation.

The country is also frequently accused of over-fishing within its territorial waters. Since 1994, China has exceeded its annual catch allowance every year, according to Greenpeace East Asia.

The designs for a commercial production tidal turbine have been unveiled by U.K.-based firm Orbital Marine Power, which claims it will be the “most powerful tidal generating platform in the world” when launched. In an announcement Friday, Orbital Marine Power said it planned to deploy its Orbital O2 2MW turbine at the European Marine Energy Centre, in Orkney, in 2020. The Orbital O2 will use a 73-meter-long “floating superstructure” to support two 1 megawatt (MW) turbines on each side and will h

The designs for a commercial production tidal turbine have been unveiled by U.K.-based firm Orbital Marine Power, which claims it will be the “most powerful tidal generating platform in the world” when launched.

In an announcement Friday, Orbital Marine Power said it planned to deploy its Orbital O2 2MW turbine at the European Marine Energy Centre, in Orkney, in 2020.

The Orbital O2 will use a 73-meter-long “floating superstructure” to support two 1 megawatt (MW) turbines on each side and will have rotor diameters of 20 meters.

The device is set to have a nameplate power output — which refers to the maximum amount of power the turbine can produce — of 2 MW at tidal current speeds of 2.5 meters per second.

Formerly called Scotrenewables Tidal Power Ltd., Orbital Marine Power launched its SR2000 turbine in 2016. During its initial 12-month test program, the SR2000 generated more than 3 gigawatt hours of electricity.

“The Orbital O2 is a low-cost solution for future commercial projects and builds on the features which made the SR2000 an industry breakthrough,” Andrew Scott, Orbital Marine Power’s CEO, said in a statement.

“This optimized turbine will unlock tidal markets around the world at a competitive price point and provide regulators and investors with a new, predictable renewable energy option,” Scott added.

The European Commission, the legislative arm of the EU, has described “ocean energy” as being both abundant and renewable. Ocean energy could potentially contribute around 10 percent of the European Union’s power demand by 2050, according to the Commission.

The FBI is hoping to build a clear profile of a former U.S. Marine combat veteran who killed 12 people in a crowded Los Angeles area bar to discover a motive for the latest shooting massacre in the United States. Paul Delacourt, assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles office of the FBI, said it was too early to speculate on the shooter’s motives but that he appeared to have acted alone. Long opened fire, seemingly at random, inside the barn-style, Western-themed bar, with a .45 caliber G

The FBI is hoping to build a clear profile of a former U.S. Marine combat veteran who killed 12 people in a crowded Los Angeles area bar to discover a motive for the latest shooting massacre in the United States.

The gunman, 28-year-old Ian David Long, entered the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, a suburb 40 miles (64 km) northwest of downtown Los Angeles, and opened fire at a little before midnight before he apparently took his own life, law enforcement officials said.

The massacre was the latest shooting rampage in the United States amid a fierce debate over gun control, coming less than two weeks after a man shot dead 11 worshippers at a Pittsburgh synagogue.

Paul Delacourt, assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles office of the FBI, said it was too early to speculate on the shooter’s motives but that he appeared to have acted alone.

“We will be sure to paint a picture of the state of mind of the subject and do our best to identify a motivation,” Delacourt said, adding that the FBI would investigate any possible “radicalization” or links to militant groups.

Long opened fire, seemingly at random, inside the barn-style, Western-themed bar, with a .45 caliber Glock handgun equipped with a high-capacity magazine, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. The bar was packed with college students.

Long was in the Marine Corps from 2008 to 2013, reaching the rank of corporal and serving as a machine gunner in Afghanistan, and the sheriff said he may have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.

“Obviously, he had something going on in his head that would cause him to do something like this,” Dean said.

A new study has painted a “shocking” picture of the effects of plastic pollution on marine life. The research, published on Tuesday, shows that 28 percent of fish in the Thames Estuary have ingested microplastics. It further found that, altogether, roughly one third of 876 fish and shrimp examined from both estuaries had ingested microplastics. “To see this large number of species that our plastic waste is putting in danger is actually rather shocking.” The research was published in the Marine P

A new study has painted a “shocking” picture of the effects of plastic pollution on marine life.

The research, published on Tuesday, shows that 28 percent of fish in the Thames Estuary have ingested microplastics. In Scotland’s Firth of Clyde Estuary, 39 percent of fish have been affected.

The study was carried out by scientists from the University of London’s Royal Holloway, The Natural History Museum and the University of the West of Scotland.

It further found that, altogether, roughly one third of 876 fish and shrimp examined from both estuaries had ingested microplastics.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), microplastics are small pieces of plastic less than five millimeters long. They can, the NOAA states, “be harmful to our ocean and aquatic life.”

The Marine Conservation Society has said that microplastics in the marine environment can carry toxins that could, potentially, be passed into animal tissue and then carried up the food chain to humans.

“People have started to really take note of the severity of plastic pollution and our research further demonstrates why this is such pressing issue,” Alexandra McGoran, the PhD student who led the research, said in a statement.

“Both rivers are extremely diverse ecosystems, home to hundreds of different species,” she added. “To see this large number of species that our plastic waste is putting in danger is actually rather shocking.”

McGoran went on to state that the results of the study showed that more research into freshwater and estuarine ecosystems was needed “so we can better understand the effects microplastics are having on their inhabitants.”

The latest contract for 141 of Lockheed Martin’s F-35’s will come at a price tag of $11.5 billion, the lowest in the history of the weapons program. Meanwhile, the Marine Corps and Navy will spend $115.5 million and $107.7 million on their F-35B and F-35C aircraft, respectively. In the prior contract, the Air Force’s jet was priced at $94.3 million, the Marine Corps jet at $122.4 million, and the Navy $121.2 million. “Driving down cost is critical to the success of this program,” said Vice Admir

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon’s largest weapons supplier just cut a deal with the Defense Department for the next batch of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters — a program with an initial acquisition cost of $406.5 billion.

The latest contract for 141 of Lockheed Martin’s F-35’s will come at a price tag of $11.5 billion, the lowest in the history of the weapons program. Of the 141 aircraft, 91 will be used by the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps and the remaining 50 will be used by international program partners and customers.

The Air Force, which is buying the lion’s share of jets, will spend $89.2 million for their F-35A’s. Meanwhile, the Marine Corps and Navy will spend $115.5 million and $107.7 million on their F-35B and F-35C aircraft, respectively. In the prior contract, the Air Force’s jet was priced at $94.3 million, the Marine Corps jet at $122.4 million, and the Navy $121.2 million.

“Driving down cost is critical to the success of this program,” said Vice Admiral Mat Winter, the executive officer for the F-35 program, in a statement. “This agreement for the next lot of F-35s represents a fair deal for the U.S. government, our international partnership and industry. We remain focused on aggressively reducing F-35 cost and delivering best value.”

The F-35, a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, has become one of the most challenged programs in the history of the Department of Defense. The laundry list of setbacks includes faulty ejection seats, software delays and helmet-display issues.

Nova Scotia authorities have issued a marine renewable energy permit for a tidal electricity project in the Bay of Fundy. The permit was issued to Black Rock Tidal Power, Nova Scotia’s Department of Energy and Mines said in an announcement Wednesday. “Developing marine renewable energy here is a key pillar of our clean energy plan,” Derek Mombourquette, Nova Scotia’s energy and mines minister, said in a statement. In August, it was announced that a tidal turbine at the European Marine Energy Cen

Nova Scotia authorities have issued a marine renewable energy permit for a tidal electricity project in the Bay of Fundy.

The permit was issued to Black Rock Tidal Power, Nova Scotia’s Department of Energy and Mines said in an announcement Wednesday. It allows the business to test a 280-kilowatt floating platform “for up to six months.”

“Projects like this that test technology in the Bay of Fundy’s unique marine environment will help spur innovation and competition and help solidify Nova Scotia’s position as a leader in the development of tidal technology.”

Under the terms of the permit, an environmental effects monitoring plan is required to be in place and adhered to for the duration of the project.

The Bay of Fundy has fast tidal currents that exceed 18 kilometers per hour at peak surface speed, according to the Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy.

Around the world, efforts are being made to harness the energy of the oceans.

In August, it was announced that a tidal turbine at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney, Scotland, had generated record levels of power production in its first year of testing.

The two-megawatt SR2000 turbine produced more than three gigawatt hours of renewable electricity in less than 12 months, Scotrenewables Tidal Power said at the time.

The European Commission has described “ocean energy” as being both abundant and renewable. It’s estimated that it could potentially contribute around 10 percent of the European Union’s power demand by 2050, according to the Commission.

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT — Before taking the highest office in the Pentagon, Defense Secretary James Mattis was already a prolific reader, boasting a library of more than 7,000 books and frequently revisiting a handful of titles for reference. Despite his increased responsibilities and demanding schedule, Mattis’ extraordinary reading habits haven’t slowed. Mattis, a revered Marine with a military career spanning four decades, credits his leadership success to his voracious reading habits

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT — Before taking the highest office in the Pentagon, Defense Secretary James Mattis was already a prolific reader, boasting a library of more than 7,000 books and frequently revisiting a handful of titles for reference.

He’s currently reading “Earning the Rockies: How Geography Shapes America’s Role in the World” by Robert D. Kaplan and “Partners in Command: George Marshall and Dwight Eisenhower in War and Peace” by Mark Perry, chief Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White told CNBC as the secretary wrapped up a five-day trip around the world.

Mattis, a revered Marine with a military career spanning four decades, credits his leadership success to his voracious reading habits.

“Thanks to my reading, I have never been caught flat-footed by any situation, never at a loss for how any problem has been addressed before. It doesn’t give me all the answers, but it lights what is often a dark path ahead,” Mattis wrote in a 2003 email to military historian Jill Russell.

Hailed for his battlefield prowess and kinship with rank-and-file servicemembers, Mattis explained that the best way to hone war-fighting skills is to leverage lessons learned from history.

“A real understanding of history means that we face NOTHING new under the sun,” Mattis wrote. “We have been fighting on this planet for 5000 years and we should take advantage of their experience. Winging it and filling body bags as we sort out what works reminds us of the moral dictates and the cost of in competence in our profession.”

Before Mattis became President Donald Trump’s Defense secretary, the four-star Marine Corps general led the U.S. Central Command, the combat command responsible for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Throughout his military career, Mattis was affectionately referred to as “Mad Dog” and “warrior monk.” He was known for his strategy, matter-of-factness and disdain for PowerPoint, which is recognized as the U.S. military’s signature teaching tool.

Over the past year, great white shark sightings along the Cape have soared, primarily due to the exploding seal population. While some refer to this as a “conservation success,” others are growing increasingly concerned, especially Cape Cod fishermen. Nevertheless, it has become a boon for scientists and educators, who are benefiting as Cape Cod has evolved into a mecca for great whites. “We know about white sharks in other parts of the world … but in the Atlantic, we know virtually nothing abou

Over the past year, great white shark sightings along the Cape have soared, primarily due to the exploding seal population. According to David W. Johnson, a professor of marine conservation ecology at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment, there are currently between 30,000 and 50,000 gray seals off the southeastern Massachusetts coast.

The exponential growth is largely due to the passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. Before then, gray seals were hunted for their furs and to keep them from depleting the fish stock. Massachusetts even paid a bounty of $5 per nose. While some refer to this as a “conservation success,” others are growing increasingly concerned, especially Cape Cod fishermen.

“The seals are causing a lot of problems,” said Doug Brown, captain of the sportfishing charter boat Jennifer Ann, which fishes the waters of Cape Cod Bay for striped bass, bluefish and bluefin tuna from Rock Harbor in Orleans. “They eat several pounds of fish each day. They eat small bait, lobsters, striped bass, fluke, flounder. They eat anything. It’s going to get to the point where they are going to have to make a decision.”

Brown said the seals are drawing the sharks, and while tourists are fascinated by them, they can be a challenge. “The sharks come right up out of the water to grab the bait. They are not bashful. I have been out in the bay all my life, but I’ve never seen great whites to this amount. They are sometimes right under my boat.”

Justin Daly, an avid fisherman and summer resident of Orleans, agrees that something needs to be done to cull the seal population. In the past he often only saw seals while deep-sea fishing, but they are a common sight along the shoreline now, making it a challenge for those directly fishing off the beach.

Nevertheless, it has become a boon for scientists and educators, who are benefiting as Cape Cod has evolved into a mecca for great whites. Until now, they had to go to California and other areas of the world to learn more about these legendary predators.

For the very first time, scientists have predictable access to white sharks in the Atlantic Ocean, said leading shark expert and biologist Dr. Greg Skomal of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries.

“We know about white sharks in other parts of the world … but in the Atlantic, we know virtually nothing about white sharks when it comes to their basic biology and … how this animal lives. We think of the white shark as a species that is out to get us. But that is not the case. White sharks need our help. We need to collect the data that is necessary to conserve this species,” said Skomal, a regualr contributor to PBS, National Geographic and SharkWeek.